South Africa has no leader - Vavi

South Africa is currently leaderless, and an urgent intervention was needed.

So believed former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, following yet another change in the finance ministry in the country.

Vavi said in a statement released on Wednesday in his personal capacity, that simply rotating cabinet positions would not change the crisis facing the country.

“We are on a rollercoaster without a driver, and we are about to come off the rails! The captains of the ship of state are about to run aground, and are completely discredited and enjoy no credibility or moral authority with those they are supposed to protect and represent,” he said.

Vavi called for the entire cabinet and the African National Congress National Executive committee to step down.

“This is not a crisis caused by an individual, but by a collective, and responsibility for it must be placed on all those who helped create the crisis, including those who stayed quiet when they know in their conscience that what was happening was wrong, and damaging the working class and the poor.” The former general secretary also called for the next national elections to be brought forward.

“President [Jacob] Zuma, the Cabinet and ANC NEC must go. The 2019 elections should be brought forward, held in a completely new environment to address weaknesses that have emerged.”

He said the electoral system must be changed to allow for voters to directly elect the president, premiers and mayors.

On Wednesday last week, Zuma reshuffled his cabinet, removing Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister and replacing him with David van Rooyen.

After a major outcry from the public and the private sector, the president changed his mind and removed Van Rooyen on Sunday, replacing him with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

This has led to wild speculation of Zuma’s possible recall from his position, rumours which were rubbished by the ANC on Tuesday.

The ANC however rallied behind Zuma on Tuesday, saying his willingness to reconsider his decision to appoint David van Rooyen as finance minister demonstrated "bold leadership".